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* (No Model.)

A. C. KIMBER. PORTABLE VESSEL.

Patented Sept. 13, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR C. KIMBER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PORTABLE VESSEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 482,368, datedSeptember 13, 1892.

Application filed November 10, 1890. Serial No. 370,956. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. KIMBER, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and` useful Improvements in PortableVessels, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention consists in the features and combinations of partshereinafter set forth, and covered in the claims.

The object of myimprovement is to furnish a portable bath-tub or othervessel of simple and durable construction, which may be compactly foldedup for convenience in storage and transportation, and capable of beingopened to hold a desired quantity of water for bathing or otherpurposes.

All constructions of portable bath tubs heretofore devised are quitebulky and occupy considerable trunk or valise space in traveling and arealso quite expensive. With my light, durable, and inexpensive article athorough sponge bath can be taken with about a pailful of water and thewater poured out and the device folded and packed in a small bag orvalise without danger of wetting carpet or furniture.

The invention is applicable to other vessels than portable bath-tubs, asin cases where permanent vessels are not at hand and temporary ones arewanted for many purposes.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my improved portableVessel as applied to a bathtub spread open for use, a portion beingbroken away to show the supporting-frame of sectional slats or bars.Fig. 2 is an edge view of the supporting-frame partly folded up intoplace for transportation or storage. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig-2,the frame being almost wholly folded up. Fig. 4 is a perspective View ofthe frame folded up with the rubber or other waterproof or impermeablecloth wrapped around it. Fig. 5 is a detailview of the ends of two ofthe slats or bars, showing one manner of pivoting the bars together.Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 0c of Fig. 5.

a a are a series of slats or bars made of wood or other suitablematerial, hinged end to end, as shown at b b, by iat swivel-hinges,which permit the slats or bars to move both slats or bars a a are madeof rather heavy material, so as to form a substantial support for theflexible water-receptacle, and in the instance shown in the drawings notmore than four or five inches high, for the purpose of presenting thegreatest area with a limited amount of water. I prefer, in theapplication of the invention to a bath-tub, to make these slats or barsabout eighteen inches long as a most convenient length for travelingpurposes. However,I do not limit myself to any of these proportions, asthey may bc varied at will.

In order that the frame may be folded together without separating any ofthe slats or bars and that all locks and catches may be dispensed withwhen the frame is opened for use, I provide a short slat orconnecting-bar a equal in length to the combined thickness of theseveral long slats. It will thus be seen that the slats are at all timespermanently and securely hinged together and that they can be opened foruse by one simple pull and closed as easily. When the frame is foldedtogether, this short slat or connecting-bar will be at right angles andat the end of the series of long bars, forming a substantially solidblock 0f rectangular form, around which the waterproof cloth may bewound, as shown in Fig. 4.

It is apparent that any even number of long slats maybe used withoutdeparting from the principle of my invention. The number of long slatsshown in the drawings is siX, which, when opened, gives a convenientsize of vessel both for use and transportation.

When it is desired to use the vessel, the series of slats or bars arespread open on the floor in a loop or ring form, as shown in Fig. 1, anda rubber or other waterproof cloth is thrown over the device, extendingsome distance beyond the frame, this depending upon the height of theframe and amount of water placed therein. Water is then poured into thecenter space and the bath is ready. After use the corners and edges ofthe cloth are carefully drawn together to form a bag, the contentslifted off the frame and poured in a IOO Waste-receptacle. The slats orbars are then folded togetherand the cloth after being dried is rolledaround them.

For tourists and families in the country, Where bath-tubs are scarce ordo not exist at all, the vessel herein described, used as a portablebath-tub,will prove of the greatest utility, particularly in View of itsoccupying so small valise space when closed, and being capable of beingopened to present nearly as much Water area as an ordinary bath-tub.

I claim- 1. A vessel havinga frame composed of sections of slats orbars, each slat or bar pivoted at its end to the end of its contiguousslat or bar in a continuous loop or circle, so that when spread opensuch frame forms continuous sides, in combination with a rubber or otherWaterproof or impermeable cloth, substantially as set forth.

2. A frame for a bathtub orother portable vessel, consisting of an evennumber or series of slats hinged together end to end and an additionalslat connected to the free ends of the end slats of the series byhinges, the additional slat being equal in length to the aggregatethickness of the even number of slats, substantially as described.

3. A frame for a bath-tub or other portable vessel, consisting of aneven number or series of slats hinged together end to end and anadditional slat connected to the free end of the end slats of the seriesby hinges, the additional slat being equal in length to the aggregatethickness of the even number of slats, in combination with animpermeable cloth, substantially as described.

ARTHUR C. KIMBER. Witnesses:

A. M. TODD, CEAS. D. PETRIE.

